Originally Posted by Smiley90 (Post 35141359)

The beach at the Marriott is definitely better than the beach at the CY though. But it's not an amazing beach, agreed.

Originally Posted by dw (Post 35141388)

For the Marriott, I found the sand on the beach way too coarse. Also, when I was there last month, the winds were so strong that if you went to the beach, you just ended up being pelted with sand… so there was literally nobody on the beach near the hotel. (Realize this is not a year round occurrence.)

Personally, my favorite beach on that side of the island is Kua Bay, though depending on the day the surf can be quite strong (definitely not for kids)

Originally Posted by dw (Post 35087491)

....Was surprised to be offered a welcome amenity of 1,000 points or $10 F&B credit in addition to breakfast, since this is a resort, but the points posted.

Originally Posted by DELee (Post 35087585)

Sounds like a nice stay. Yeah walking from car to room is short. Walking from room to beach/ocean is a pain.

David

Originally Posted by dw (Post 35140328)

They're going to be very different experiences. The Marriott is more of a "resort" with multiple pools and more grounds. But the only things within walking distance are two malls (which each have restaurants) and a beach club. The Courtyard is in the town of Kailua and there is a lot more within walking distance. While the hotel is on the beach, the beach is very small, and it would be a stretch to call it a resort. (Not that the beach at the Marriott is very good either, unfortunately.)

Originally Posted by Finkface (Post 35141667)

Too add to my dismal stay here, at breakfast, the server asked for the card for the free continental breakfast. I said I hadn't been given a card. After five trips back and forth asking my name, room number and status, she came back and said sorry, you have to have a card. I said I didn't have one so they should sort it out. A manager came over about five minutes later with the elusive card.

I had chosen the $10 F&B credit in addition to breakfast as detailed above. On my emailed folio, you guessed it, no $10 credit. I went to the front desk to check out and said I had chosen the $10 credit but it hadn't been applied. She looked and said well, you have to give them the card for it to be applied and showed me a printed card as an example. I said no one had given me any card (neither that one nor the breakfast card) but I had chosen the benefit as she could see and could she please just apply it for me. She said again that I should have used the card (which I never got!) and said "I can't just give you $10 off your bill" in a pretty snarky tone. I said she better figure it out so she silently typed away, printed something off and wordlessly handed me a new folio with the $10 credit applied. Really, really poor service from check in to check out coupled with a horrible, dark room on the ground floor where I had to have all the lights on at 9am, that's how dark the room was. I definitely can't recommend this hotel in the slightest.

Now at the Courtyard King Kamehameha and a polar opposite in terms of service. Lovely staff, beautiful, large, ocean front room and a much nicer hotel with a great lobby full of Hawaiian history and a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. Really nicely updated rooms as well.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b5fd1ae4c.jpeg

Originally Posted by Kacee (Post 35142852)

Those going to the Big Island should be aware that the island itself is a big hunk of relatively new (in geologic time) black lava with only a handful of nice beaches.

If you want a beach resort experience on the Big Island, choose the Mauna Kea or the Westin Hapuna, both of which are situated on gorgeous beaches. Otherwise, choose a different island.